The Shadow of the Tears
by Challiex98
Summary: {RATED T FOR SWEARING & NON-DESCRIPTIVE SEXUAL THEMES} Valerie Lytton, a girl who lost everything. Her father, her step-father, Carl and now her mother. She is all alone in the wilderness, with no where to go and no where to be seen for miles. The Daughter of an Aristocrat lives no more, now her tears hide in the shadows of what might be. ON HOLD!
1. Chapter 1

**Woot welcome to the sequel, The Shadow of the Tears! Can you tell that I suck at titles?**

**Okay, enjoy!**

**(I love how at the beginning of the prequel, I wrote in 1st person and then changed to 3rd, woopsie!)**

**Also, I need you guys to create a character please! Female, and in her mid-twenties! Thank youuuu.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TWD or any of the characters, anything you do not recognize is my own.**

* * *

_The wood was not silent. It was anything but it. The green trees swayed with the shudders of the gunfire, splattered with a gooey red liquid that could not be simply described as blood and gore. It smelled rotten, like rotten flesh. Flesh that was still walking. _

_A young girl and her mother ran through the woods, clearly not made for the long amount of running they had to do. The mother was panting heavily, clutching her neck desperately with blood flowing through her fingers and onto the grass. The teenager was panting also, but more stretched out breaths as she held her gun out, aiming it at anything that decided to emerge from the bushes and brush. The groans from the approaching had kept them on their feet for hours, walking until they were eventually forced to run. Feet blistering, skin burning in the summer sun, they both were red faced and slick with sweat. The mother, still covering her wound, couldn't take it anymore, and collapsed to the ground._

_'Mother!' The teenager cried out, rushing forward to her aid, gun slipping between her fingers and to the wet grass, where it bounced once and lay still in the thick mud._

_'Baby you gotta go.' Her mother's words choked out, blood spluttering out her mouth as she spoke, 'There's no time, they're coming.'_

_'No!' The teen refused, clutching her mother's hand so tightly that her knuckles were white. 'I won't let them get to you! I won't leave you, you can do this!'_

_'Honey, no one's survived the bite. You saw the farm, you go there, do not leave.' Her mother's words gurgled with the red liquid, 'You need to end this.'_

_'No, I can't do it, I won't!' _

_'Babe, you've got to! Or I'll become one of them.'_

_The teen bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly, ignoring the drawling moans of the approaching carcases - clearly smelling the trail of blood they left for them. Her shaky right hand found her pistol, bringing it out of the mud and cocking it. She aimed the gun, her attention on her mother, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as her brown hair swung into her face.  
_

_'I love you, Valerie.' The mother uttered her last words, sharing a look with her daughter like none before.  
_

_'I love you too, Mom.'_

**_BANG!_**

* * *

The girl sprang up, gasping desperately for air, startling the blonde across from her peaceful slumber. The girl was panting, gaining a worried look from her friend, she took in air quickly and released it too early, causing her face to go pale and her head feel light.

'Gosh, are you alright, Val?' She asked, looking over at her friend in concern. 'That's the third time this week.'

'I'm fine, Beth.' Valerie sighed, kicking the covers off of her and swinging her legs off of the bed, 'Don't worry about it.'

The girl tugged a brush through her long brown hair, throwing it up into a bobble. She changed from a pair of Beth's pajama shorts, into some net tights with some blue denim jeans and a pink cookie monster t-shirt. Valerie poked her head around the door of Maggie's bedroom to find it empty, the bed unmade and messy. Clicking her tongue, the girl rolled her eyes at Maggie's messiness, being hypocritical as she didn't make her own bed.

'Morning Hershel.' Valerie smiled as she entered the kitchen, a bright smile on her face, contrasting with her tired eyes.

'Didn't sleep again, Val?' The old man asked, pouring the girl a cup of coffee - Milk and two sugars.

'Thanks,' The brunette chirped as she took the mug, 'Nah, nightmares again.'

'Let me know if you need something for it, I'm bound to have something.' The man offered, taking a sip of his own mug.

'DAD!' Maggie's voice yelled from the front porch, 'Dad!' Her head appeared around the corner of the kitchen door, 'There's a man, carrying a boy.'

Hershel's smile disappeared as he exited the house, Maggie, Beth and Jimmy - carrying a baseball bat - rushing out after him. Valerie finished her coffee quickly, placing it in the sink alongside Hershel's, 'Today's gonna be a long day.' She muttered, as she hurried outside with the others.

'Was he bit?' Hershel's question ran through the fields as the man and his son were still too blurry to be seen.

'Shot! By your man!' The man, wearing a sheriff uniform, panted, hiking his son higher into his arms.

'Otis?' Patricia's shrill voice asked, piercing the quiet summer air.

'He said to find Hershel, is that you?' The man panted again, startling Valerie as he neared closer, 'Help me, help my boy!'

'Get him inside,' Hershel demanded, 'Inside!'

Valerie rushed indoors, hurrying to the spare bedroom and throwing the sheet off of the bed, 'Lay him here!'

'Patricia, I need my full kit.' Hershel ordered, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, 'Maggie, painkillers, coagulants, grab everything! Clean towels, sheets, alcohol.'

The familiar man rushed forward and placed his son on the bed.

'Pillowcase.' Hershel told him, removing the boy's shirt.

'Is he alive?'

'Pillowcase quick!' Hershel told him again, sternly, avoiding answering the man's question.

'Is-Is he alive?' The man asked again, urgency and concern in his voice as he tore the pillowcase off of the pillow.

'Fold it, make a pad.'

Valerie hurried into the room, arms full of bottles and equipment for the procedure.

'Put them down here.' Maggie motioned over to a table, where Valerie placed them down, making sure that the labels were visible.

'Put pressure on the wound.' The room was silent as Hershel checked the boy with a stethoscope, 'I've got a heartbeat. It's faint. Maggie IV.'

'We need some space.' Maggie said kindly to the man, looking pointedly towards Valerie.

'Rick.' The girl soothed, touching his arm to get his attention.

'Valerie?' The man choked out, looking down at the girl, 'Oh my god.'

'It's me, Rick.' She smiled at him, 'Come on, they're going to do everything they can for Carl, they need some room.'

Rick allowed the young woman to escort him out of the house and onto the front porch, 'Where's Lori?'

'She-She doesn't know.' Rick mumbled, watching the two figures in the distance approaching them quickly.

'Rick!' Shane called out, much to Valerie's dismay, it had to be him.

'Otis!' Valerie cried, running forward and hugging the man, 'It's okay, he's alive. Hershel has him in surgery.'

'It was an accident.' The man cried pleadingly.

'I know, it's okay, he's alive.' Valerie soothed, patting his arm.

Valerie turned back to the two men to see Shane rummaging in his backpack, bringing out a rag and rubbing off the blood Rick had smeared on his forehead.

'It's okay man, you got blood. Okay.'

Rick took the rag from his hands and held it in his own blood-coated ones.

'Let me take that from you. Where is he?' The three men returned back inside to show Otis and Shane, Carl's location.

Valerie entered the farmhouse also, retreating to the kitchen to make some sandwiches for their new arrivals.

'Val.' Maggie rushed into the kitchen just as Valerie had finished piling the many sandwiches onto plates, 'I need you to take a horse, you need to fetch Lori, Rick's wife. You know him don't you?'

'Yeah, I was close friends with Carl, they were like family to me.' Valerie replied, wiping her hands on a cloth, 'Where is she?'

'Somewhere in the woods, they're looking for a little girl named Sophia, ring any bells?'

'Nope, but I'll go now, is Nelly able for riding?'

'Yeah, just be careful.' Maggie ushered, throwing Jimmy's bat to her, 'Just in case.'

'Gotcha.' Valerie chuckled, 'Don't needa worry about me.'

Soon enough, Valerie was riding through the forest on a dark brown horse, baseball bat in hand. She only passed two walkers, which she swung and whacked them down with her trusty old bat, when suddenly a loud scream broke out, ringing through the trees and echoing around for miles.

'Yaah, heyaah.' Valerie hissed, rising up on her hind legs to get a better speed.

'GET IT OFF ME, GET IT OFF!' A blonde was shrieking, desperately trying to push a heavy carcase off of her slender figure.

Swinging the bat, Valerie rode up to her and whacked the creature flying into the nearest tree, 'Lori, Lori Grimes, you need to come with me.'

The familiar brown haired woman walked over to her with curious eyes, 'Why do-'

'There's been an accident. Carl's been shot, he's still alive, come on now!' Valerie urged, making room for the woman to climb up. 'Rick needs you just come!'

Lori shoved her backpack off of her shoulders and hurried over to the horse, 'Woah, woah woah!' A man interrupted, 'We don't know this girl, you can't get on that horse!'

'But I do know her,' Lori used Valerie's hand to help her up, 'She's Carl's childhood friend.'

Valerie smiled for a moment before continuing, 'Rick said you have others on the highway, that big traffic scenario. Backtrack to Farmlen* Road, 2 miles down is our farm, you'll see the mailbox. Name's Greene. Heyaah!'

The rest of their group sat there in awe of the girl on the horse, until they were interrupted by a loud moaning sound.

'Shut up.' The same man spat, shooting the carcase with his crossbow, before continuing through the wood.

* * *

Valerie watched as Rick and Lori ran to each other, conversing in whispers and concerned glances.

Hopping off of the horse, Valerie nodded to Hershel - who was on the porch - before continuing to the stables. She guided Nelly back into her stable and removed the saddle and bridle, throwing them over the side of the box.

Stroking the horse softly she whispered, 'There's a good girl, Nelly. Nothing to be scared of.'

'Nothing to be scared of.'

* * *

**Yes, yes. I'm back. Let's all rejoice in parties and celebrations, yadee yadee ya.**

**Review or I shall not upload the next chapter! Yes, I mean it.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**To my beautiful reviewers!**_

_**French Fries: **__Aww thank you! I'm sorry I've been sort of MIA but I've been revising for my exams. I'll hopefully update on Saturdays! :)_

**_Shiki-Seishou:_**_Thank you! :)_

**_LittleKnowPeople:_**_ Thank you for the name! That will come in handy later! :)_

**_Guest: _**_Thank you, I wasn't feeling very creative about how to tie them together, so I just brought in the farm. :)_

**_forever-alone-in-paris: _**_Oh my gosh, this made my day, literally! Thank you so much, I'm always selfconscious of my work and you just made me smile! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)_

* * *

Valerie sat on the outside porch, her mind working overtime at the horrific news that she had just heard. Otis had decided to volunteer to run out and find a respirator for Carl. Of course, Valerie was incredibly grateful at the gesture that would possibly save Carl's life. But she hated who he was going with.

Shane.

Valerie's head twitched at the simple thought of his name in her mind. His horrible curly black hair, his signature smirk, the way he held his 'precious' gun. She hated how he would barge in, try and talk 'Police business' as her father had stated it, reminding her never to talk to that man.

'Look at me now daddy.' The fifteen year old muttered, burying her face into her legs, hugging them against her chest. 'Wouldn't you be proud to learn that I'm practically living with a psychopath.'

'Talking to your daddy, again?' The familiar voice asked, leaning against the wall beside the rocking chair.

'Yep.' Valerie sighed, looking up into the eyes of Maggie, the girl who had become sort of a sister to her. 'I just miss him, y'know? Mother too.'

'Don't worry sweetheart, it'll get easier.' Maggie rubbed the girls shoulder, smiling weakly as she retreated back into the house.

'Will it?'

* * *

_Freshly cut grass.  
_

_Finely picked Roses._

_Fake friendly neighbors?_

_All check._

_Valerie stood in the middle of the garden, wearing her lovely emerald knee-length dress, spinning her body slightly so that it would fold around each of her legs. She smiled, looking around at the scenery that she had no idea she hated yet. _

_She didn't understand why her mother wouldn't allow her to see Carl. He was just ten years old like herself, a child that wants to spend time with friends, roll around in the mud, play house with your friends, go to the park and launch yourself off of the swing midair.  
_

_But Valerie wasn't allowed to do that._

_She was the respectable Young Lady Valerie Lytton. Always wears dresses or skirts, always has manners, always shows interest in every single mind-numbingly boring conversation, always smiling, always curtsying and always being the daughter of an aristocrat she was brought up to be._

_'Young Lady Valerie.' An old, bald man approached the girl in his new shirt and tie. He bent down slightly and offered his hand to the small child._

_Valerie accepted it, shaking and curtsying to the man, 'Pleasure to have your acquaintance.' She chimed, smiling brightly at the man, the tenth man she had greeted all day._

_'Oh no.' He insisted, retracting his hand. 'The pleasure is all mine.'_

_Valerie nodded at the retreating man, taking a glance at the clock before excusing herself and finding her mother. _

_'Excuse me.' She curtseyed to the group of people around her mother, 'Mother, I'm not feeling too well. May I be excused to rest?'_

_Lady Victoria looked rather disappointed but smiled and nodded to her daughter, 'Of course, darling. Have Miranda look after you. We shall see you when we arrive home.'_

_'Thank you mother, sorry to disturb.' She smiled at the guests, hurrying along in her tiny bow heels, carrying herself down the street and across the road to her house. She ran through the gates after buzzing herself in, and yanked her shoes off as she entered the door._

_'Miranda!' She called, running up the stairs, shoes in hand. 'Miranda! I need you to cover for me.' The girl burst into the woman's room. _

_'Off to see Carl again?' Miranda muttered, folding her work clothes for tomorrow. 'Alright, I'll cover for you. Go change. I'll have your pajamas on the bed for when you return. Be back for half past eight.'_

_'Thank you!' Valerie bustled, scurrying through to her room and throwing on some 'appropriate' clothing.  
_

/ / / /

_The park was quiet and dark, and although it was only seven o'clock, Valerie was freezing. She had decided to come out in a tan skirt with a white frilly blouse, mistakenly without a jacket. _

_She walked along the line of hedges, pausing momentarily to look at the blooming red roses, one of which Carl would bring to her every year, despite how much her parents hated it - or Carl's girlfriend for the month, quite frankly. Valerie smiled and continued her way down the cracked stone path, skipping out the broken one lodged into the squidgy mud._

_'Carl!' She yelled, looking over at the brown haired boy, sitting on one of the swings._

_His face brightened up magically, 'Valerie!' He cried back, running over to embrace the girl in a hug. 'I can't believe you came.'_

_'I always do, don't I?' Valerie grinned, brushing past him to sit on the swing beside his, 'So, who's the girlfriend this month.'_

_'Har har.' Carl mocked, plonking himself back down onto the swing, 'The new girl at our school, Abbie Grantson.'_

_'Ahhh.' Valerie cooed, swinging legs forward to gain momentum. 'Tell me about her?'_

_'Blonde, tall, really skinny.' _

_'Of course you like the blonde barbies.'_

_'Not true! They just happen to be a coincidence...'_

_'Okay so Emma-'_

_'Brown-'_

_'Ah, ah. You showed me a picture, her hair is so dirty blonde!'_

* * *

Valerie smiled weakly at the memory.

They had ended up spending another three hours there and it was ten o'clock when Valerie stumbled into to see a fuming mother and a petrified father. She had been grounded for a week and banned from seeing Carl for an entire month. That didn't stop Valerie from sneaking downstairs once everyone was asleep and calling the young boy.

The young boy that was now on his death bed.

The girl broke down in tears, the salty liquid leaving a trail of broken hearts as it ran down her rosy cheeks. Her lips were chapped from the cold, her body shivering and now she was crying uncontrollably, the meltdown subtracting the last amount of control she had over her body.

Valerie rose from the chair with shaky legs and opened the door, pulling herself to the door where Carl and his family sat.

Rick noticed her and held out a hand, inviting her forward in this moment of need.

She stepped forward and grasped his hand, allowing herself to sink down in between the two parents, who hugged and comforted the distraught girl.

Like a family would.

* * *

**I'm terribly sorry that it's so short! I know, I'm a horrible person!  
**

**I have no inspiration right now, I am literally forcing myself to write so it's pretty bad! I'm so so so so sorry!**

**Please forgive me! :'(**


	3. Author's note - I'm sorry

**Hey guys. **

**How to start this...**

**Don't worry, I'm not canceling the series, I love my characters too much.**

**I just need a break, a long, long break. Like until Summer, maybe until after the holidays. I just need some time to finish off my Teen Wolf fanfictions, and find some inspiration. **

**Teen Wolf is my new obsession, which means I have loads of inspiration, but I just can't bring myself to write about The Walking Dead. I can't force myself to write short and terrible chapters, because I want to look back over my stories and love my writing, but I can't do that now. It's too difficult.**

**I'm sorry.**

**The Shadow of the Tears is on hold until further notice.**

**Please understand.**

**- Rachel x**


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